Bat Survey Harrogate: Protected Species Surveys

A bat survey, Harrogate, can help to identify the presence of bats in buildings, trees, and other structures within and around development sites. These surveys should be incorporated into a project development plan to address ecological considerations related to bats in the planning application process.

Local planning authorities will typically inform you if a bat survey is required and provide guidelines to follow when performing any ecological surveys. The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations was introduced in 2017 to protect species on all sites across the UK, especially those at risk of project development impacts.

All bat species, their chosen breeding sites, and roost sites are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If bats reside on a site, it is illegal to deliberately harm, injure or obstruct access to bat roosts by damaging a bat’s habitat. Therefore, Bat mitigation and compensation measures are crucial to a project which wants to land with an environmentally positive impact.

Preliminary Roost Assessment:  A Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) should be conducted initially to determine whether bats are likely to be roosting in a specific building or structure.

This assessment is an important first step in the process of assessing the potential impact of project development on bat species on the site and in the area.

Bat emergence and re-entry surveys: If necessary, following a preliminary roost survey, a bat emergence survey or a re-entry survey will typically be performed to monitor further bat activity. This includes monitoring entry and exit points to provide information on the location, species, and population of the bats.

These surveys are carried out on multiple occasions over a period of time to collect a substantial range of data and encourage accurate results. Our bat consultants use bat detectors to monitor bat activity without causing unnecessary disturbance to the bats.

Nocturnal bat surveys: A nocturnal bat survey is an ecological survey conducted at night to observe and record bat species’ activity and behaviour. These surveys are essential for monitoring bat populations, identifying species, and assessing their habitats. Nocturnal bat surveys are often carried out as part of ecological impact assessments and conservation efforts related to development projects.

At Collington Winter, our ecological consultants hold Natural England bat licences and European Protected Species licenses, working alongside bat conservation trusts to protect endangered species across the UK that may be impacted by new project developments.

Please contact our Managing Director, Olivia Collington (info@collingtonwinter.co.uk) for more information on our wide range of ecological services and West Yorkshire bat survey work, including bat surveys and Great Crested newt surveys. We also provide preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) and assessment services.